Saturday, October 23, 2010

Here's the deal. Originally, the pack was going to have the scimitarwielding mini. But, the figure was replaced with a more "Bandit-y"feel to it (the Pirate-y looking bandit was converted to the one withhood and short sword).

I just replaced the photo online with the correct shot. And I lookedin our mold department - all 02677 D molds only have the "correct"model (short sword).

** Please help in identifying this Reaper miniature - note that the dagger in the left hand was added by me **

Hmmmm... what to say about this miniature - first off it was a test bed for putting a name on the miniature - see below post - I added a scroll style on the front as the "official" name badge.

Then it was a test for some new Vallejo Game Color paints in the brown family which I picked up from Leesburg Hobbies. The matching colors were to GW's scorched brown, bestial brown, and bubonic brown to replace my dried up GW paint pots.

It started off alright as I primered in black. Then used a watered down scorched brown - the opacity was nice with the Vallejo and the results can be seen in the below post regarding the nameplates.

Next I used the bestial brown and I was rather disappointed with the coverage - it wasn't doing what I needed and required multiple layers - more effort than what I was wanting to give or expecting to have to do. I was hoping for more of a coverage experience that I was having with the scorched brown.

Building up to the next layer was bubonic brown and here's where I became really unhappy. If I watered down the paint, the opacity of the paint moved to the edges of the brush and I wasn't getting any coverage with the actual brush stroke - it looked like I was painting railroad tracks. I know it wasn't the brush as I'm painting with Windsor & Newton Series 7 - probably the finest line of brushes for miniature painting. Not watering down the paint is of course too thick and not a real option.

After battling with that for awhile I moved up and added a bit of Vallejo skull white to the mix and walla - beautiful brushstrokes - don't get it - but by that point in time I was overally frusturated - dabbed on some highlights and called it a day.

Monday, October 11, 2010

2010-10-11: update - added second picture showing use of scorched brown for lettering and an attempt at making a brass plate nametag - brass plate was done using bubonic brown for the base, then adding skull white and making a line through the top middle, then adding more skull white and adding another line on top of that - then adding black dots for the "rivets".

Final additional sample? - two more pics - one using actual metallics - nope - looks awful - then back to using bubonic brown for the base, then bleached bone in the middle, finishing with a strip of skull white in the very middle (in essence the highlighlighting goes inwards - darkest on the outside and "shiniest" in the middle).

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Didn't get a lot of painting done this weekend - simply a basecoat and a little test I'm working up.

The next project is going to be another Reaper of a rogue - this time I'm doing him up all in a single color - brown - but the real point of this post is to take a look and showcase the naming of a miniature. It's something I've been wanting to do for awhile and just haven't thought about how I want to go about doing it.

Two thoughts...

1st - is to put a signature on the model and a date - either year or month/year

2nd - when playing an rpg and plopping down a bunch of minis - it's difficult to keep track of all the minis on the table for the NPC (non-player characters - the ones being ran by the dungeon master / game master / judge) - typical conversation:

player: I'll attack the green orcjudge: which of the six player: the one on the left sidejudge: there's three on the leftplayer: the one with the swordjudge: there's two with a swordplayer: the one that has the red doohicky thingy on his body

and so on... - whereas it's really easy to google up an orc name and finding a website - now if you dropped on the table Vrunk, Kridish, Bruuk, Hork, Hagdush, and Buulg; then the role playing will go a whole lot faster when the player announces they're going to attack Vrunk!

I've also thought about just putting numbers on them - or a little flag with a number on them, but how boring is it to say elf attacks number 7 when the player can say Calaitharnith attacks Vrunk.

I was also thinking about freehand white lettering the name on the base, but I thought it a bit boring and therefore never did anything.

So I recently came across the website of Glyn Evans who goes by the name Zaphod. About 2004 he started to sign his stylized name of Zaphod on the base of the miniature in what looks like a tattered scroll - he eventually gave that up for a stylized Z and the year - then on his latest minis painted for gaming he used the tattered scroll affect for putting the miniature name on the front - another example - I really like that idea and I gave it a try tonight.

I started out with a set of white lines to make a solid block. Then I "yellowed" them with some bleach bone in the middle. Followed that up with some black cutouts. Finally the lettering - my consulting is Zingodia Systems - Zingodia is a bit long to use - so I used Zing and the year.

For my first try:- tattered edge is good - I think the cuts on top and bottom is a bit much- lettering is too thick - need a bit more practice- black lettering is too strong - probably a bestial brown would be better - aged lettering goes brown - can give scorched brown a try as well

Thursday, October 07, 2010

Here's the end result of the WIP miniature - I was able to spend an hour here and there on it this week. This miniature is from the HackMaster line by Kenzer and Company. HackMaster was supposed to be a parody of the original D&D game. They did some rather strange stuff in the "old-school gaming" look.

With all the wackiness that was Hackmaster, the miniature is actually very good - right up there with any of the Reapers that I enjoy - which make sense as Kevin Contos sculpted this as well as a number of the early Reaper miniatures.

Monday, October 04, 2010

Quick update on what I'm working on - had some time Friday night and Saturday night to do a little bit of painting each night. Just about finished - need to complete the eyes, beard (red, or red/brown, or brown, or grey), metalic bits, and stone base.

Welcome...

My foray into miniature painting - enjoy! Follow along through google friend connect or email (through feedburner). If you have something interesting to say then please leave a comment or drop me a note at my gmail address of rickajr.